Early Echocardiography Predicts Intervention Need in Antenatal Suspicion of Coarctation of the Aorta

BACKGROUND: Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is challenging to diagnose in early postnatal life. We aimed to describe the resource utilization and predictors for the need of intervention in an antenatal suspicion of CoA. METHODS: A retrospective study of infants with an antenatal suspicion of CoA born at ≥37 weeks was performed. Those not requiring intervention (normal) were compared with those who required cardiac surgery (CoA). Strain was measured using speckle-tracking echocardiography. RESULTS: A total of 51 newborns were included; 40 (78%) were considered normal and 11 (22%) underwent intervention. Echocardiography occurred within the first day of life for both groups. Right ventricular (RV) predominance was present in the CoA group, as demonstrated by the left ventricular (LV) end-systolic eccentricity index (1.60 [0.28] vs 2.16 [0.45]; P < 0.001) and by a larger RV end-diastolic area (EDA) in apical 4-chamber (A4C) relative to LV-EDA—with a ratio of 1.56 [0.23] vs 1.02 [0.2]; P < 0.001. An RV/LV EDA ratio in A4C ≥1.3 had a high probability for CoA (area under the curve = 0.97). Newborns with CoA had a lower RV deformation (peak systolic strain rate: −0.98 [0.17] vs −0.83 [0.2]; P = 0.02). Intraclass correlation coefficient for the EDA ratio revealed a good inter-rater agreement (0.76; 95% confidence interval: 0.55-0.87). Analysis with rater #2 revealed that the EDA ratio ≥1.3 predicted 100% of CoA. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of those with an antenatal suspicion of CoA did not require intervention but were high consumers of resources. Within the first day of life, the ventricular EDA ratio in A4C may help predicting those with true CoA requiring intervention.